Proceedings of Extreme Markup Languages®

Introducing the Data Format Description Language

Kristoffer H. Rose

Abstract

The Data Format Description Language (DFDL, called “daffodil”) is a new standard by which binary or textual formats can be
mapped into XML. Relying upon XML Schema “annotations” to describe such mappings, DFDL specifications can be used to convert
formats such as JPEG or system property files into XML and extract information from these formats with XPath.